Pitch and roll control for ground effect machines



Feb. 28, 1967 A. A. TINAJERO PITCH AND ROLL CONTROL FOR GROUND EFFECTMACHINES Original Fi led March 25, 1962 k\\ u X24 3 i v .m FA

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ATTORNEY United States Patent Cfifice 3,306,389 PITCH AND RG-LL CONTROLFOR GROUND EFFECT MACHINES Anibal A. Tinajero, 1310 N. Meade St,Arlington, Va. 22209 Original application Mar. 23, 1962, Ser. No.182,144, new Patent No. 3,279,553, dated Get. 18, 1966. Divided and thisapplication Oct. 21, 1965, Ser. No. 508,629 4 Claims. (Cl. 180-7) Theinvention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for theGovernment of the United States of America for governmental purposeswithout the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

This application is a divisional application of applicants co-pendingapplication Serial No. 182,144, filed March 23, 1962, now Patent No.3,279,553.

This invention relates to controls for vehicles of the ground effectmachine type, and more particularly to controls for varying the pitch,roll motion, and orientation of vehicles of the ground effect machinetype having peripheral nozzles.

In some of the prior art methods for controlling the pitch, roll, anddirection of forward motion of ground effect machines, compressed air asdischarged from slots or louvers located on the sides of the vehicle forthe single purpose of producing an imbalance in pressure beneath certainportions of the vehicle. In other prior systems in which vehicles have aplurality of air compressors, control is achieved by moving one sectionof the vehicle acted on by air of a different pressure than the airacting on another portion of the vehicle.

In the former of the above-mentioned systems a disadvantage is thatpower is wasted because the ejected compressed air is utilized toimplement only the pitch or roll, and the air used therefor does notcarry out the additional function of aiding in the lifting of thevehicle. Moreover, ejecting air from nozzles located at the sides of thevehicle in such a system requires complicated con trol linkages andadditional ducts.

A major disadvantage in the latter systems is that the reaction time,that is, the time lag between the actuation of the control mechanismsand the actual effect brought about by the control, is large because arelatively long time is necessary to increase the rotational speed ofthe air compressor. When the controls are actuated by an operator in thevehicle, the large time lag reduces the sensitivity of the entirecontrol system so that it is very difficult to sense Within a reasonabletime the effects of the controls which have been actuated. Moreover, theuse of additional air compressors requires additional expense andaddition-a1 controls therefor.

According to the present invention in one of its forms, a vehicle of theground efiect machine type having peripheral nozzles located in thebottom of the vehicle for directing air to an area beneath the vehicle,is provided with means located interiorly of the vehicle for the controlof the local jet momentum of the air discharged thereat. The aforesaidmeans may comprise, for example, a movable air restricting member, theposition of which in the discharging air stream is variable to producepitch or roll, and forward or side propulsive thrust of the vehicle dueto the imbalance air pressure beneath selected portions of the vehicle.

When the vehicle is inclined from the horizontal, a directional forcecomponent in the horizontal plane is produced due to the component ofthe weight of the vehicle displaced in that direction; and thishorizontal force component may be utilized to propel the vehicle in saiddirection, or, the component of weight may be counteracted by thehorizontal component of the difference in air 3,306,3 8?) Patented Feb.28, 1967 pressure beneath the vehicle to maintain the vehicle in ahorizontal plane over an undulating surface.

It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide in avehicle of the ground effect machine type having peripheral jet nozzlesto provide a vehicle movement control to which the vehicle respondsquickly, whereby an operator may obtain a feel of the implementedcontrol.

It is another object of the present invention to provide in a groundefiect machine having a peripheral nozzle control means therefor to varythe orientation of the vehicle relative to a horizontal plane withoutinterference with other control means of said vehicle which may be usedto rotate or turn said vehicle.

Another object of this invention is the provision of control means in avehicle of the ground effect machine type having a peripheral nozzlewherein the flow of air at high pressure is restricted at certainportions of the peripheral nozzle in order to produce a pressuredifferential at selected portions beneath the vehicle.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide in a vehicleof the ground effect machine type having peripheral jet nozzles, controlmeans for compensating for undulating surfaces over which the vehiclemay traverse, there being provided at the same time through said controlmeans a control of the direction of forward motion of said vehicle.

A feature of the present invention is that the control means providedfor varying the pitch and roll orientation of the vehicle may beactuated simultaneously with the actuation of other control means suchas, for example, turning vanes for rotational and translationalmovements of the vehicle in the horizontal plane, thereby enablingcoordinated turns and yaw movements of the vehicle.

The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will be better understood by referring to the accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a View in cross-section of a vehicle of the ground effectmachine type having peripheral jet nozzles incorporating the controlsystem according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a modified cut-away view in perspective illustrating thecontrol means according to the present inventron;

FIG. 3 is a modified top view of the cut-away portion of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a vie-w of a transverse cross-section of the control meansshown in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a view in cross-section of an embodiment of the controlapparatus according to the invention.

Referring to the drawings in which like numerals are used to indicatethe same or similar parts in the various figures, FIG. 1 shows a vehicleof the ground effect machine type comprising a hollow body 12 having anopen bottom and at the top a raised portion 14 defining an opening orduct 16 into which air surrounding the vehicle is forced by means of anair compressor 18. A flat boxlike member or frame 20 having smoothcontinuous top 22 and canted sides 24 is located within the body 12 inspaced relationship therefrom to thereby form an interior space 26between the duct 16 and the open bottom of the body 12. The spacebetween the sides 24 of the frame 20 and the bottom of the body 12 formsa peripheral nozzle 28 around the bottom periphery of the vehicle, theperiphery being of any suitable shape used in such vehicle. It isunderstood that air drawn into the space 26 by the fan 18 is dischargedat high pressure from the nozzle 28 beneath the vehicle to provide acushion of air to support the vehicle 12, the fiow of the air beingindicated by arrows in FIG. 1.

Mounted around the edge of the top surface 22 of the frame is aplurality of edge-wise-spaced slidablymounted blocks of which blocks 32and 34 are shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 1. The blocks 32and 34 have faired or curved upper surfaces in order to present minimumresistance to the flow of air in the space 26.

As indicated by the oppositely pointed arrows in FIGS. 1 and 2, each ofthe blocks 30 is slidably movable back and forth horizontally on thesurface 22 of the frame 20 to selectively restrict portions of thenozzle 28. In FIG. 1 the block 34 is shown in a position restricting thesize of the interior space 26 and, therefore, reducing the amount of airflowing to that portion of the nozzle 28 in substantially direct flowcorrespondence therewith. The blocks 30 may be moved by any suitablemeans, and that shown in FIG. 2 is a conventional servo-motor 38actuating push rods 40 connected to each of the blocks.

As shown in FIG. 1, the block 34 of the blocks 30 is adjusted to aposition to restrict the size of the nozzle 28 on one side of thevehicle 12 and the block 32 on the opposite side of the vehicle 12 ispositioned not to obstruct or restrict the size of the nozzle 28 thereatso as to permit a maximum or greater flow of air therepast in the space26 through the nozzle 28 as compared to the fiow past block 34.

The numeral 42 indicates the center of gravity of the vehicle, and thenumeral 44 indicates the ground or surface over which the vehicle may bepassing. When the blocks 32 and 34 are in the positions shown in FIG. 1,due to the greater jet momentum of air flowing past the block 32, amoment of force is created about the center of gravity 42, and thevehicle rotates clockwise to some extent in a vertical plane about thecenter of gravity 42 as indicated by the arrow 36. This rotating is withrespect to the surface of the ground it is traveling over.

Another important advantage of the adjustment of the blocks 30 residesin the fact that the vehicle can be kept horizontal when it istraversing a piece of ground 44 that is uneven and is, say, increasingin height toward the right as shown in FIG. 1. By suitable adjustment ofthe blocks 32 and 34, the vehicle 12 is positioned horizontally becausethe jet momentum is less past the block 34 than past the block 32, andsince the vehicle is closer to the surface 44 at the end thereof havingthe block 34, less air pressure is necessary therebeneath to maintain aground effect air cushion thereunder. The difference in air-flow pastthe blocks 32 and 34 adjusted as shown in FIG. 1 also imparts a force tothe vehicle tending to move or translate it to the right in FIG. 1.Accordingly, instead of adjusting the pitch or roll of the vehicle toaccomplish horizontal orientation thereof, the speed and direction offorward motion of the vehicle may be controlled by restricting the fiowof air through a portion of the nozzle 28 by adjustment of selectedblocks 30. Thus, both orientation and translation of the vehicle 12 maythus be accomplished by adjusting the blocks 30 to restrict thedischarge of air from the nozzle 28 in appropriate selected portionsthereof.

As shown in FIG. 2, an additional control means 48 for rotation orturning the vehicle includes a plurality of air-fiow-directing cascadedturning vanes 50, each of said turning vanes 50 being rotatable in thenozzle 28 about an axis 52 parallel to the canted sides 24 of the frame20. Each of the turning vanes 50 may be suitably rotatably mounted, asby hinges parallel to the canted sides 24 of the frame 20 and theturning vanes 50 may be mounted in end-to-end cascaded groups around thevehicle 12 in the peripheral nozzle 28. A push rod 54 is suitablyfastened to each of the turning vanes 50 of a cascaded group thereof torotate each of said vanes 50 about each of the axes 52. The push rod 54is linked to a lever 56 rotatable about a pivot 53, the lever 56 beingdriven by a suitably actuated control rod 60. Other suitable means maybe used to rotate the turning vanes 50.

The purpose of the turning vanes 50 is to controllably deflect the airdischarged from the peripheral nozzle 28 to obtain varying components ofthrust including a zero component in the horizontal plane to produce amoment of force to rotate the vehicle, or a combination of thrust andmoment to turn the vehicle in the horizontal plane. Of course, othertypes of nozzle-mounted turning vanes may be used in conjunction withthe pitch and roll controlling blocks 30 of the invention as long as theturning vanes do not extend into the path of movement of the blocks 30.Thus according to the invention, the turning vanes 50 may be movedsimultaneously with the movement of the blocks 30, thereby enabling thevehicle to be directed along a path that may continuously vary indirectional components of three mutually perpendicular coordinate axessimultaneously.

Instead of utilizing flow-restricting elements such as the blocks 30, asshown in FIG. 5, air-flow restricting vanes 62 of considerably lighterconstruction than that of the blocks 30 are rotatably mounted tovariably restrict air-flow in the interior space 26. Each of the vanes62 is preferably curved as shown for the smooth flow of air therepast,and they are mounted in spaced end-to-end relationship in the interiorspace 26 peripherally around the inner surface of the body 12. Each ofthe vanes 62 is rotatably mounted on a hinge 64 which is suitablysecured to the inner face of the outer body 12.

A push-rod 66 is provided for each of the vanes 62 and is mounted to beguided through an aperture in a block 68 mounted on the top surface 22of the frame body 20. One end of each of the push-rods 66 is suitablyconnected to the outer end of one of the vanes 62 to vary the rotationalposition thereof and may be actuated in any suitable manner. The edge ofthe frame body 20 may be faired for smooth air-flow in the interiorspace 25 between the vanes 62 and the frame 20.

When the curved vanes 62 are rotated to engage the inner surface of thebody 12 at one end, a maximum amount of air-flow is produced therepast.The flow of air to the nozzle 28 is reduced by moving the end of thevanes 62 close-r to the edge of the frame 20. The movement of the vanes62 does not interfere with the movement of the turning vanes 50, thusenabling simultaneous control of both for the purpose of simultaneouslyproducing components of vehicle movement continuously in three mutuallyperpendicular coordinate axes.

The vehicle may be controllably deviated about the line of direction offorward motion of the vehicle by varying the positions of the vanes 50to turn or rotate the vehicle and simultaneously by varying thepositions of selected ones of the blocks 30 to lower (or raise) one sideof the vehicle. Thus, simultaneously with carrying out turningmovements, any portion of the vehicle may be raised or lowered accordingto the operators skill in conformity with undulations in surface ofwater or land over which the vehicle is traversing. Or, if desired, bycontrolling the air pressure under selected regions of the vehicle, theorientation of the vehicle may be maintained in a horizontal planedespite undulations of the surface of water or ground over which thevehicle may be traversing.

The over-all effect of utilizing the light-weight and therefore, quicklyresponsive controls, according to the invention is to provide theoperator of the vehicle with a sense of feel in controlling the vehicleas it traverses over land or water, thereby enabling a pilot operator todevelop a handling skill comparable to that he may develop in othertypes of vehicles.

It is to be understood that the control apparatus according to theinvention is not limited to utilization of vehicles of the ground effectmachine type alone, but may be utilized in conjunction with the controlof aircraft having a range of operating characteristics including groundeffects. Moreover, the orientation and control apparatus of thisinvention may be used in those types of ground effect machines usingother gases for thrust in addition to or exclusive of air.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing disclosurerelates to only preferred embodiments of the invention, and that it isintended to cover all changes and modifications of the examples of theinvention herein chosen for the purposes of the disclosure, which do notconstitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Control apparatus for a ground effect machine of the type wherein anozzle is located around the periphery of the underside of the machine,and wherein there is provided ducted fan means mounted on the machinefor producing air at high pressure to be discharged from said peripheralnozzle comprising:

(a) an outer body for said machine, the interior surface of said outerbody forming an air-confining wall for the nozzle;

(b) an inner frame body located interiorly of said outer body in spacedrelationship therefrom, the sides of said inner frame body forminganother airconfining wall for said nozzle;

(c) a plurality of movable bodies each body being in the form of a blockhaving a fiat side in sliding engagement with the top surface of saidframe body and having a curved surface in contact with air flowingtoward said nozzle, said upper surface being streamlined in thedirection of air flow and curving concavely upwardly and then convexlyoutwardly, downwardly and inwardly to said flat side whereby the airflowing thereover is directed with a smooth streamlined flow into saidnozzle;

(d) means coupled to each of said bodies for selectively positioningsaid bodies to variably restrict the flow of air to at least a portionof said nozzle;

(e) whereby conditions of reduced air pressure may be produced inselected regions beneath said machine for producing pitch and rollthereof relative to the ground.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 including:

(a) a plurality of turning vanes, each of said vanes being rotatablymounted below the plane of the fiat surface of said movable bodies insaid nozzle.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, including:

(a) control linkage means mounted on said inner frame body andpositioned to move freely of said movable bodies and of said means forcontrolling said movable bodies for selectively varying the degree ofrotation of at least some of said control vanes independently of themovement of said movable bodies;

(b) whereby said turning vanes may be employed either by themselves toeffect a simple rotation, or together with said movable bodies toproduce coordinated turns.

4. In a vehicle of the ground effect type having a hollow outer body anda frame member located in spaced relation therefrom to form an innerspace wherein gas is directed at high velocity through said interiorspace and is discharged through a downwardly and inwardly canted nozzlelocated around the periphery of said vehicle to produce within andbeneath the approximate peripheral confines of said vehicle a gas athigher pressure than that of the atmosphere, apparatus for controllingthe spatial orientation of said vehicle with the ground comprising:

gas-flow controlling means mounted peripherally of the vehicle andmovable at substantially all portions of said interior space to vary theamount of flow of gas thereat;

said gas-flow controlling means comprising a plurality of movableelements, each of said elements comprising a body having a flat surfaceslidable on the upper surface of said frame member and a curved uppersurface in contact with the gas flowing in said interior space, saidupper surface being streamlined in the direction of the gas-flow andcurving concavely upwardly and then convexly outwardly, downwardly andinwardly to said fiat surface whereby gas flowing thereover is directedwith a smooth streamlined flow into said nozzle;

said element being slidably mounted for movement on said frame member atits associated portion of said space to variably reduce the gas flow toa portion of said peripheral nozzle in substantially direct flowcorrespondence therewith.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,130,939 4/1964Alper et a1. l7 3,150,732 9/1964 Walker l807 3,162,260 12/ 1964Cockerell l807 3,181,636 5/1965 Cockerell -7 A. HARRY LEVY, PrimaryExaminer.

4. IN A VEHICLE OF THE GROUND EFFECT TYPE HAVING A HOLLOW OUTER BODY ANDA FRAME MEMBER LOCATED IN SPACED RELATION THEREFROM TO FORM AN INNERSPACE WHEREIN GAS IS DIRECTED AT HIGH VELOCITY THROUGH SAID INTERIORSPACE AND IS DISCHARGED THROUGH A DOWNWARDLY AND INWARDLY CANTED NOZZLELOCATED AROUND THE PERIPHERY OF SAID VEHICLE TO PRODUCE WITHIN ANDBENEATH THE APPROXIMATE PERIPHERAL CONFINES OF SAID VEHICLE A GAS ATHIGHER PRESSURE THAN THAT OF THE ATMOSPHERE, APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLINGTHE SPATIAL ORIENTATION OF SAID VEHICLE WITH THE GROUND COMPRISING:GAS-FLOW CONTROLLING MEANS MOUNTED PERIPHERALLY OF THE VEHICLE ANDMOVABLE AT SUBSTANTIALLY ALL PORTIONS OF SAID INTERIOR SPACE TO VARY THEAMOUNT OF FLOW OF GAS THERAT; SAID GAS-FLOW CONTROLLING MEANS COMPRISINGA PLURALITY OF MOVABLE ELEMENTS, EACH OF SAID ELEMENTS COMPRISING A BODYHAVING A FLAT SURFACE SLIDABLE ON THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID FRAME MEMBERAND A CURVED UPPER SURFACE IN CONTACT WITH THE GAS FLOWING IN SAIDINTERIOR SPACE, SAID UPPER SURFACE BEING STREAMLINED IN THE DIRECTION OFTHE GAS-FLOW AND CURVING CONCAVELY UPWARDLY AND THEN CONVEXLY OUTWARDLY,DOWNWARDLY AND INWARDLY TO SAID FLAT SURFACE WHEREBY GAS FLOWINGTHEREOVER IS DIRECTED WITH A SMOOTH STREAMLINED FLOW INTO SAID NOZZLE;SAID ELEMENT BEING SLIDABLY MOUNTED FOR MOVEMENT ON SAID FRAME MEMBER ATITS ASSOCIATED PORTION OF SAID SPACE TO VARIABLY REDUCE THE GAS FLOW TOA PORTION OF SAID PERIPHERAL NOZZLE IN SUBSTANTIALLY DIRECT FLOWCORRESPONDENCE THEREWITH.